Barely after fighting off allegations that he is behind rallies calling for fresh internal polls in the DAP, Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy is under siege again, over the controversial Penang Run slated for Jan 27.

dap congress 161212 ramasamy Ramasamy (left) said he has received many complaints from Hindus accusing the state government of being "insensitive" in organising the event on the same day as Thaipusam, which is marked on a large scale in Penang.

Complainants have even gone as far as urging the state government to apply for a court injunction to stop the event from taking place next Sunday, he added.

The major religious festival is attended by several hundred thousand people, including tourists, who flock to Penang to participate in the colourful event.

"What more with the newly built hilltop temple, the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Kovil at the Botanic Garden," Ramasamy lamented.

"We are not involved in the programme and we have nothing to do with it. We received many complaints because it is called Penang Run and one of the sponsors is the Youth and Sports Department," he told a press conference today.

"Many from the Indian community do not agree with the run as it clashes with the Thaipusam celebration and we have been accused as being insensitive and wanting to prevent Hindus from joining the run," he added.

"We have no problem with the runners. The issue came up because of the many complaints we received and we need to clarify that the state is not behind this event," said Ramasamy, who chairs the Penang Hindu Endowment Board, which plays a key role in the Thaipusam programme.

'Don't politicise run'

Ramasamy was referring to the Penang Run 2013 organised by Tanjung Social Club and Penang Forwards Sports Club, which will be held at Universiti Sains Malaysia from 6am on Jan 27.

NONE Penang Forward Sports Club chairperson Lim Choo Hooi told Bernama that the state government should not "politicise" the event as it was organised to promote sports and health.

Lim said the organisers have considered the traffic congestion in conjunction with the Thaipusam procession and had agreed to hold the run from 6am to 10am, adding that Indians were also taking part in the run.

Gerakan too has been dragged into the controversy as the poster for the run was said to bear the party logo, which the organisers said have been removed.

State Gerakan Youth chief Oh Tong Keong denied that the party was involved in the run, saying only party members sat in the organising committee.

"It should not be politicised. The event is not organised by Gerakan. The day of the run happens to fall on a Sunday and is also a public holiday," The Star quoted Oh as saying.

Seek approval before using ‘Penang'

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng called on the federal government to respond to the matter as the Sports and Youth Department - one of the event's sponsors - is a federal agency.

dapsy agm 091212 lim guan eng Lim denied that the Penang Municipal Council had given its approval for the event, saying that there would be no road closure during the time of the event.

"We cannot do anything except to say that the use of the word ‘Penang' (which gives the impression that the state government is the organiser) is not sanctioned by the state," said Lim.

"The organisers must get our approval before using the word Penang to describe the run," he added.

"It looks like us, seems like us, but it is not us," Lim joked, referring to the infamous VK Lingam tapes related to the executive's interference in the Malaysian judiciary.